Nasir Yammama is a 27-year-old, northern Nigerian with a knack for technology. Nasir was raised as a farmer’s child and most of his siblings are still active farmers. Once Nasir became old enough he ventured out from the fields and into Institute and Creative Technology at Middlesex University, London. This is where he began his technology interest which would later develop into something very distinct and close to home.
Nasir increased his knowledge by attending Massachusetts Institute of Technology for the Global Entrepreneurship Bootcamp, and it was here that he learned how to become a quality problem solver through science and technology. With such humble beginnings on a farm with his family, it was an obvious decision that Nasir would focus his talents on developing a technological aid to farmers and their productivity.
Nasir developed the company Verdant. Verdant is an AgriTech value chain company that offers solutions to support farmers and other stakeholders for improved food production using novel technologies. They aim at providing agricultural extension market information, managerial support, and access to markets & financial services to rural farmers with unique mobile technologies. For farmers in Nigeria, this technology is game-changing. It offers them a way to receive the most productivity out of their land and resources. Many farmers who are more skeptical about relying on technological sources for their products seem to lack the full potential that their crops could produce.
Using their access to scientific data and a partnership with financial institutions and even governments, Verdant intends to turn information into insights for the farmers and present it to them in a convenient manner that will enable precise decision making on the farm and also offer them unique services like access to market, agricultural credit, index insurance and warehousing so as to get more productivity and value out of their farming and thereby guarantee food security and improve living standards. Verdant brings together all the stakeholders and major players in the agricultural value chain as well as the overall industry under one platform. This involves the farmer, buyers & agro-industries, research agencies, governments and financial institutions.
Nasir recognized the necessity of this business once he looked at the trends with farmers in Africa. Nigerian farmers and most farmers across the African continent are not seeing the bountiful surplus in their fields as much as they could.
As a result of this, Africa had to import $40 Billion worth of food last year to make up for the lack of production. This is an issue that needs great attention. Not to mention, most of these farmers are living off of their produce financially and personally. Yet, farmers still suffer in abject poverty. If Africa is going to become self-sufficient in this area it needs the resources to thrive.
The market for such incredible creations is relatively new. The AgriTech market refers to innovative technologies in the agricultural sector that demonstrably enhance the sustainability of the practice by increasing productivity, improving the efficiency of resource use, and reducing ecological impacts. They provide avenues for farmers to practice agriculture with a clear implication of environmental, social, and economic value. The major targets are rural farmers in Nigeria both male and especially female.
Most of these farmers practice subsistence agriculture and are very low-income earners with little or no formal education. However, there is an incredible opportunity due to their huge numbers and governmental support. These farmers' age group ranges from 16 to 70.
With such a distinctive approach on bettering the living conditions of farmers, Verdant has the potential to stabilize and balance the economy for so many. With food being a basic necessity the best way to ensure a high quality of living is to secure the grounds of producing this food with knowledge of how to properly leverage your resources. It is no question, with new technology the world is becoming more understood in certain areas. If farmers could fully understand the landscape that they are operating on they would be at an advantage.
Nasir is positioning himself to be a catalyst in this rebirthing of the African farm industry. When asked about his influences, Nasir’s list seemed quite unorthodox. “I have quite an interdisciplinary (weird, if you like) list of influencers whom most people will never imagine under the same roof not to talk of a dinner table. Elon Musk, Fela Kuti, Richard Branson, Octavia Butler, Alexander the Great and Teju Cole. I’ll invite them mostly because they’re all dreamers. Secondly, each individual is a specialist in their own brand of rebellion against what is ordinary and accepting what situations or societies throw at them.” In an odd way, they seem to represent different sides of his well-versed vision. From conquest to redistribution, each person holds a key to unlocking the internal mission of Nasir’s work.
Nasir is fueled by the ability to help people, who would otherwise struggle, find themselves in better and more stable positions by introducing them to more productive methods. Growing up in a farm based family, he knows first hand the struggles of the market he is working to change. He knows the needs and the practices of the people. This in itself, gives Nasir a great advantage when speaking to the clientele. He also gets to see the unique innovations that Africans are producing for Africa, which will solve the problems of the continent specifically and efficiently. His connection to his homeland gives him a sense of responsibility and purpose to fulfill the mission of creating better living conditions for those who are under these social and economic afflictions.
After conquering the world of Africa, if given the opportunity Nasir Yammama would grow Verdant into Asia. He knows it is imperative to produce more food with fewer resources, especially in densely populated areas of the world, while keeping in mind the global environmental concerns. At its fullest potential, Nasir would like for Verdant to service 25 African countries, supporting 40 million African farmers creating sustainable food production and improved living standards. For Nasir, his wealth will come in the form of fulfillment. This is the success to him.
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